PDA

View Full Version : Devry University? worried sick please help!



Kain000
November 4th, 2008, 07:07 AM
Hello everyone!

So i'm on the fence about a college choice. I dont know really what the truth is and was hoping ANYONE could give me somthing to work with here.

the problem is that I want to / am going to school to become a computer/electronics engineer. currently I am enrolled at Devry University here in colorado. The question is tho whether or not Devry is bogus as a school.

My dad is willing to pay my college dues, but Devry is nearly double what a state school Like Colorado University would be. both those schools offer a bachelors in electronics and computer engineering and there are subtle differences.

for one colorado U has a four year program when compared to Devry's three. the classes seem to be about the same as far as contents, tho devry's courses are packed into 8 week sessions rather than the traditional 15 week classes at other colleges.

all this including cost aside, (though cost is a big factor)
my biggest fear is that I will spend three years and ALOT of money to find that I'm being looked over without a second glance simply because I've got a degree from Devry rather than one form a four year state school.



Is anyone here in a management position? if so, or even if not consider this...

You have two applicants and one spot to fill.
both applicants are equally qualified for the job, each with a bachelors in computer engineering.
The only disernable difference between the two is where that bachlors came from, one from a state school like Colorado University, and the other from a three year school, Devry.

who and how do you choose?

SomeGuyDude
November 4th, 2008, 07:11 AM
I'd bring you both in for an interview and see where things go from there. That's my general answer to "what will an employer think?" unless one of the two went to an Ivy League school

DeVry, from what I read on the ol' Wikipedia, has some issue with accrediting and isn't allowed to use the word "university" in New York or Alberta, which makes me a little leary of it. Plus if it's a three year degree with 8-week 'semesters', that sounds a little on the shady side.

myusername
November 4th, 2008, 07:13 AM
i personally think Devry would be the better school because it specializes in electronics. and because the classes are smaller (they are right?) that you would actually learn more. but then again what do i know? im still in high school lol

kernelhaxor
November 4th, 2008, 07:15 AM
I do not know anything about Devry or Colorado U .. but from what you say, I would go with a state school like Colorado U .. Here is what I feel:
A four year degree is for sure more valuable than a three year one but the difference might not be as much as you fear .. But looks like u r apprehensive abt choosing Devry (u say its bogus) .. its always gud when u trust and love the school u go to .. and also state schools are reputable ..
With a four year degree instead of three year one, u might be spending a year more at school but you would have learned more too! and u might get better opportunities as well .. so I wouldn't worry abt the one year and would go ahead with a state school than Devry

LaRoza
November 4th, 2008, 07:24 AM
the problem is that I want to / am going to school to become a computer/electronics engineer. currently I am enrolled at Devry University here in colorado. The question is tho whether or not Devry is bogus as a school.

My dad is willing to pay my college dues, but Devry is nearly double what a state school Like Colorado University would be. both those schools offer a bachelors in electronics and computer engineering and there are subtle differences.

for one colorado U has a four year program when compared to Devry's three. the classes seem to be about the same as far as contents, tho devry's courses are packed into 8 week sessions rather than the traditional 15 week classes at other colleges.


I'm not sure what the problem is. State schools are cheaper. It is like that everywhere. A bachelors degree can take 3 - 5 years. There is no such thing as a "four year degree" or a "three year degree". Some schools have different scheduling which results in different times. The classes at my university are 12 weeks for example, and because it goes year round, it is possible to get a bachelors degree in three years.



You have two applicants and one spot to fill.
both applicants are equally qualified for the job, each with a bachelors in computer engineering.
The only disernable difference between the two is where that bachlors came from, one from a state school like Colorado University, and the other from a three year school, Devry.


I wouldn't base it on school, but since you asked, I'd probably pick the one from Devry because it was more expensive. In reality, I wouldn't make a decision like that, but in isolation, I would.


I do not know anything about Devry or Colorado U .. but from what you say, I would go with a state school like Colorado U .. Here is what I feel:
A four year degree is for sure more valuable than a three year one but the difference might not be as much as you fear .. But looks like u r apprehensive abt choosing Devry (u say its bogus) .. its always gud when u trust and love the school u go to .. and also state schools are reputable ..
With a four year degree instead of three year one, u might be spending a year more at school but you would have learned more too! and u might get better opportunities as well .. so I wouldn't worry abt the one year and would go ahead with a state school than Devry

Um, a bachelors is a bachelors, it doesn't matter how long it takes to get it. One could go part time and get it is 6 years. Would that make it more valuable?

FuturePilot
November 4th, 2008, 07:29 AM
If an employer is going to make a decision based on where you got your education and not the quality of education then I probably wouldn't work for them in the first place. What I mean is that an employer shouldn't hire or not hire you based on where you went to school but whether you're really qualified for a job.

frankleeee
November 4th, 2008, 08:35 AM
Generally it is the degree that the employer is interested in not the institution. I attend a state college with 10 week semesters with 2 weeks in between except for a longer off time in fall to winter semesters the summer,(The classes then are compressed). Just make sure your credits are transferable to a masters program in case that is a future goal.

mips
November 4th, 2008, 09:21 AM
Would the degree from Devry allow you to register as a Professional Engineer with your local IEEE/Country/State. You need the Professional registration to perform certain things in the engineering field, the USA might be different though.

http://www.ieee.org/web/education/apc/index.html?WT.mc_id=hpi_accred
http://www.engineeringlicense.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P.Eng#United_States

According to the Wikipedia article you need a 4yr accredited degree to register as a P.E.

I would suggest you look into this more closely before deciding where to go study.

aaaantoine
November 4th, 2008, 05:23 PM
DeVry does offer career services to all students and alumni, if you're willing to utilize them.

Thelasko
November 4th, 2008, 05:43 PM
Would the degree from Devry allow you to register as a Professional Engineer with your local IEEE/Country/State. You need the Professional registration to perform certain things in the engineering field, the USA might be different though.

In the US the only PEs I know are in Civil Engineering. It's pretty rare for an ME, CE, or EE to get a PE.

I have always viewed DeVry as a trade school, not a University. I don't think they provide a well rounded education (english, history, etc.) that a University does. This is how they get the program down to three years. Employers want these things, mostly because it proves that you are effective at communication.

Also ask if you will be eligible to pursue a masters or doctorate degree. I believe you will only be able to achieve a masters degree through DeVry's Keller Graduate school, and not through any other institutions. I've found that in the US graduate degrees are viewed as more important that PE licenses (other than civil engineering).

I believe in the field of IT DeVry graduates are common. However, in my professional career (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_engineer) I have never met a DeVry graduate that was my level on the org chart or higher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Org_chart). We might have a few technicians that went there though.

I would go to the public university and go to DeVry if that doesn't work out. I feel that going to school at DeVry might seriously limit your career options. You risk being stuck as a "technician" and not an "engineer" for the rest of your life.

Edit: After some research I discovered that DeVry's Bachelors degrees are in engineering technology (http://admissions.purdue.edu/Majors_Programs/technology_majors.html), and not engineering (http://admissions.purdue.edu/Majors_Programs/engineering_majors.html). There is a difference. A few of my fellow coworkers went to Purdue, which has both. They say that the technology degree is for the people who couldn't make it through the engineering degree. I stand my original recommendation. Go for the engineering degree, and if you can't do it, go for the technology degree.

sydbat
November 4th, 2008, 05:45 PM
I went to DeVry and found it the same as the University of Calgary for content. The only differences were the compressed time - just over 3 years instead of 4 years, and the price - nearly $40,000. You do not get large amounts of time off. Otherwise, same degree.

As with any school, you take what you can from what they teach you. If DeVry works, go there. If not, go to Colorado U.

Thelasko
November 4th, 2008, 06:10 PM
My dad is willing to pay my college dues, but Devry is nearly double what a state school Like Colorado University would be.

I've never heard of Colorado University, do you mean University of Colorado at Boulder? If so, I have heard of it, and a degree from there is much more prestigious than one from DeVry (at least in Mechanical Engineering). However, be prepared for much more difficult classes. Universities like U of C hire professors based on research they have performed, not on their effectiveness at teaching. This is typical at any major university.

bp1509
November 4th, 2008, 06:28 PM
d

bp1509
November 4th, 2008, 07:42 PM
d

Viranh
November 4th, 2008, 07:48 PM
If you are looking to get an engineering degree, make sure the school you go to is ABET accredited, or it's not really a recognized engineering program. Also there are significant differences between engineering tech and engineering, so be sure you understand that. I would advise going to a state university as that will be easily recognized by an employer (and also be cheaper?) and getting an actual engineering degree (not a "tech" degree). Good luck, engineering is tough. I'm currently in my third year in Mechanical Engineering at Montana State.

Viranh
November 4th, 2008, 07:53 PM
I'd like to add that 8 week courses will be miserable. I've taken several "summer" courses at my university that span 6 weeks rather than 15, but teach the same material as a regular semester. You have to be able to learn very quickly and are tested often (weekly exams in my case.) The workload was horrendous.

If it's small classes you're after, MSU has class sizes of 20-30 people past sophomore year and is an accredited program. I believe we do western student exchange with Colorado too so you wouldn't quite pay out of state tuition.
www.coe.montana.edu

spawn.
November 4th, 2008, 08:10 PM
Enroll in a local community college until you figure it out.

LaRoza
November 4th, 2008, 08:13 PM
Enroll in a local community college until you figure it out.

Or stay where you are. It makes little sense to complicate things by adding a third choice. If one is choosing between Devry and UC, and is in Devry in the meantime, moving to an entirely different institution would be pointless.

oldsoundguy
November 4th, 2008, 08:18 PM
An FYI .. the US military offers the same courses as Devry (less the business aspect add ons) and you get PAID to take them (and use those skills). Then you can go to a community college and start on a separate degree in business. Employers LOVE that track record combo and ALL recognize military training over campus training in technical courses!
(and you get the advantage of the "hire a vet first" programs that are now in place in almost all states!)
(The Air Force is where I learned my electronics .. and it paid off big time!)

aysiu
November 4th, 2008, 08:21 PM
I'd say live your life and don't stress about stuff. Many people successful in their fields come from less prestigious universities or didn't graduate post-secondary school at all. Yes, there are circumstances where being from a "better" school may be advantageous, but your life won't be ruined if you aren't from that "better" school.

The problem is that many secondary and post-secondary schools exaggerate or overamplify the importance of where you went to school. That is something, and it can make a difference. But ultimately, no matter what field you're in, your employer wants to know if you can do the job and do it well. They want to know about your experience, your personality, your character, your sense of humor, your work ethic, your competency.

Stop stressing and worrying yourself sick about this. Just learn and start getting some hands-on experience. The rest of the pieces will fall into place.

aysiu
November 4th, 2008, 08:21 PM
I'd say live your life and don't stress about stuff. Many people successful in their fields come from less prestigious universities or didn't graduate post-secondary school at all. Yes, there are circumstances where being from a "better" school may be advantageous, but your life won't be ruined if you aren't from that "better" school.

The problem is that many secondary and post-secondary students exaggerate or overamplify to themselves the importance of where you went to school. That is something, and it can make a difference. But ultimately, no matter what field you're in, your employer wants to know if you can do the job and do it well. They want to know about your experience, your personality, your character, your sense of humor, your work ethic, your competency.

Stop stressing and worrying yourself sick about this. Just learn and start getting some hands-on experience. The rest of the pieces will fall into place.

Old_Grey_Wolf
November 4th, 2008, 10:45 PM
I have a Bachelors degree from DeVry and a Masters degree from a State University. I got the Masters degree primarily because I didn't feel the DeVry degree was respected. I really didn't need the Masters degree.

Now that I have both degrees, I don't think the school makes very much difference. You get out of it what you put into it.

I am a manger at a Fortune 500 company. I don't look at the school someone graduated from when making hiring decisions. I had an employee that graduated from Purdue that couldn't find his butt with both hands.

If you feel that DeVry may be bogus, go with your feelings. You may live with those feelings the rest of your life.

Old_Grey_Wolf
November 4th, 2008, 11:19 PM
Generally it is the degree that the employer is interested in not the institution..... Just make sure your credits are transferable to a masters program in case that is a future goal.

I agree with that.

The State University accepted me into the Masters Degree Program because I was a manager at a Fortune 500 company. If I was John Dow, I would have been required to take courses before entering their Masters Degree Program. Even State Universities will bend the rules to make a buck. They need to satisfy the needs of corporations. :rolleyes:

Presto123
November 5th, 2008, 12:49 AM
ALWAYS...if you have questions about accreditation, use the U.S. Dept. of Education database.

Go here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ (http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/) and search for the school.

I ran into this problem when trying to find one, myself, and FINALLY found this link after HOURS of searching.

As for getting a job w/ these diplomas? It's a hit-or-miss with some companies.

I'm enrolled at University of Phoenix (Axia College) which is an accredited online college, but I will also supplement my degrees from UoP with a traditional school to ensure results.

I think that this is the best bet.


Hello everyone!

So i'm on the fence about a college choice. I dont know really what the truth is and was hoping ANYONE could give me somthing to work with here.

the problem is that I want to / am going to school to become a computer/electronics engineer. currently I am enrolled at Devry University here in colorado. The question is tho whether or not Devry is bogus as a school.

My dad is willing to pay my college dues, but Devry is nearly double what a state school Like Colorado University would be. both those schools offer a bachelors in electronics and computer engineering and there are subtle differences.

for one colorado U has a four year program when compared to Devry's three. the classes seem to be about the same as far as contents, tho devry's courses are packed into 8 week sessions rather than the traditional 15 week classes at other colleges.

all this including cost aside, (though cost is a big factor)
my biggest fear is that I will spend three years and ALOT of money to find that I'm being looked over without a second glance simply because I've got a degree from Devry rather than one form a four year state school.



Is anyone here in a management position? if so, or even if not consider this...

You have two applicants and one spot to fill.
both applicants are equally qualified for the job, each with a bachelors in computer engineering.
The only disernable difference between the two is where that bachlors came from, one from a state school like Colorado University, and the other from a three year school, Devry.

who and how do you choose?

Luggy
November 5th, 2008, 03:08 AM
Hi,

I am a graduate from the CET ( Computer Engineering Technology ) program at DeVry Calgary (Alberta). Here is what I would have to say about things.

My program gave a blend on both electronics and programming, a nice balance of things.

I felt that the electronics part was good, I learned a lot about circuit theory and the hands on part of things was really cool, but the most advanced topic we covered was transistors.

The programming side of things felt a little empty, I was never really challenged in class.

C++ and object oriented programming was covered well, so was the theory behind data structures such as linked lists and SQL ( got as complicated as Third Normal Form ) but the class on threads and UML and Project Management were not very well.

The Operating Systems course was also a complete waste of time. I couldn't tell you anything I learned from that course the moment I got out of the exam yet I still passed ( and quite well I might add ).

And for some reason we had two courses dealing with Assembly. I understand why you have a course on teaching assembly but if you know 'how' to program in assembly why bother teaching Intel and Motorola? The type of assembly you will probably end up doing once you working will be decided by your employer.

So, would I recommend DeVry? I would probably say No. If I had to do it all over again I'd pick a school that could call itself a school. I can't call myself an Engineer because APEGA ( Association for Professional Engineers of Alberta ) says my degree isn't good enough.

Granted I got a job in my field right out of school, it probably has more to do with connections then with my prowess. I currently work in a very meaningful job and I'm a lot more then a solder or code monkey.


From what I've seen, you will learn more on the job then you will in school and it doesn't matter what you know, it's WHO you know. That's what's going to get you a job once you are done school.